By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta - Indonesia and Malaysia need to solve their common border problems soon and set clear borderlines in order to avoid further intrusions and other border conflicts that often cause tensions between the two countries.
Indonesia should proactively seek agreements on its borders with neighboring countries like Malaysia and Singapore.
"We have always talked about the problem of outlaying islands with neighboring countries but until now we have not yet been able to solve it so that conflicts often occur," former president Megawati Soekarnoputri said.
She made the statement in response to last week`s incident when Indonesian patrol officers nabbed seven Malaysian fishermen for allegedly poaching in the waters of the Indonesian province of Riau Islands, around Bintang Island in particular.
In a `reciprocal` action, the Malaysian water police came up to arrest three Indonesian patrol officers.
Megawati, who is Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) leader, said the government should not merely always want to discuss geopolitical border problems but should also seek ways how to settle the border problems conclusively.
"Unfortunately, however, our border problems were not touched in the state-of-the nation address of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday, Aug 16, 2010," the former president said referring to the president`s address in connection with the 65th anniversary of Indonesia`s Independence Day.
According to Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, the sea border problem with Malaysia near Bintan Island has remained unsolved until now because the neighboring country has kept on deferring negotiations to settle it.
He said that because an agreement on the common maritime borders had not yet been reached, incidents involving the two nations always occurred. Therefore, Indonesia is willing to discuss the matter with Malaysia soon.
"We have not begun negotiations yet and have not yet reached an agreement on the borders of several sections of our common land and sea territories," he said. However, Indonesia would soon discuss the border problem with Malaysia.
"Indonesia is ready any time, but it is Malaysia that is not ready to discuss the problem," said the minister after attending a flag-raising ceremony commemorating the 65th anniversary of Indonesian Independence at the presidential palace on Tuesday.
The minister said Malaysia was not yet able to discuss the sea border issue with Indonesia since it had to settle a similar problem with Singapore first. However, Marty stated, the Indonesian government would always defend the country`s sovereignty at any cost.
"Our job is to secure national sovereignty. There can be no compromise in this regard," he added.
Natalegawa said Indonesian representatives at meetings with the Malaysian side on border affairs had often raised the question of Malaysian intrusions into Indonesian waters.
"We always state our objections and concern to the Malaysian authorities. We have also urged them not to repeat the same mistakes in the future," said the minister.
In the meantime, Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Minister Fadel Muhammad said the government would soon make clear the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia following the arrest of Indonesian patrol officers by Malaysian police on Friday.
"Following the incident we will arrange and make clear the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia," the minister said.
Fadel said that so far the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia were not yet clear, particularly in their water areas. For this case, he will make intensive coordination with the office of the minister for political, legal and security affairs and the ministry of transportation to discuss the border problem with Malaysia.
Three Indonesian patrol officers, Asriadi (40), Erwan (37) and Seivo Grevo Wewengkang (26), were arrested when they intercepted a Malaysian fishing vessel which were allegedly poaching in the Indonesian waters of Riau Islands province.
Indonesia on Tuesday morning repatriated the seven Malaysian fishermen who were arrested by Indonesian patrol officers last Friday. "The seven fishermen have been repatriated this morning," Netty Herawati, mediator of the Indonesian Consulate General for Malaysia, said.
The seven fishermen were repatriated using the Samudera Tiga ship, which left Batam at 8.30 a.m Indonesian Standard Time for Situlang Laut port of Johor Bahru. They were accompanied by Malaysian embassy staffers and Dewan Priyo Kusumo, a staffer of the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru.
In the meantime, Malaysia has also released three Indonesian sea patrol officers who were arrested by Malaysian police. Netty said the three Indonesian officers were now returned to the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru.
"The three are now in the office of the Indonesia Consulate General," she said.
The three marine officers, in fact, were already at the Indonesian consulate general in Johor Baru, Malaysia, Tuesday morning, to join an Independence Day flag hoisting ceremony.
"So, our diplomatic efforts during the whole day yesterday have born fruit," Minister Marty Natalegawa said meanwhile.***1*** (T.A014/H-NG/B003/P003)
Source: http://www.antaranews.com
Jakarta - Indonesia and Malaysia need to solve their common border problems soon and set clear borderlines in order to avoid further intrusions and other border conflicts that often cause tensions between the two countries.
Indonesia should proactively seek agreements on its borders with neighboring countries like Malaysia and Singapore.
"We have always talked about the problem of outlaying islands with neighboring countries but until now we have not yet been able to solve it so that conflicts often occur," former president Megawati Soekarnoputri said.
She made the statement in response to last week`s incident when Indonesian patrol officers nabbed seven Malaysian fishermen for allegedly poaching in the waters of the Indonesian province of Riau Islands, around Bintang Island in particular.
In a `reciprocal` action, the Malaysian water police came up to arrest three Indonesian patrol officers.
Megawati, who is Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) leader, said the government should not merely always want to discuss geopolitical border problems but should also seek ways how to settle the border problems conclusively.
"Unfortunately, however, our border problems were not touched in the state-of-the nation address of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday, Aug 16, 2010," the former president said referring to the president`s address in connection with the 65th anniversary of Indonesia`s Independence Day.
According to Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, the sea border problem with Malaysia near Bintan Island has remained unsolved until now because the neighboring country has kept on deferring negotiations to settle it.
He said that because an agreement on the common maritime borders had not yet been reached, incidents involving the two nations always occurred. Therefore, Indonesia is willing to discuss the matter with Malaysia soon.
"We have not begun negotiations yet and have not yet reached an agreement on the borders of several sections of our common land and sea territories," he said. However, Indonesia would soon discuss the border problem with Malaysia.
"Indonesia is ready any time, but it is Malaysia that is not ready to discuss the problem," said the minister after attending a flag-raising ceremony commemorating the 65th anniversary of Indonesian Independence at the presidential palace on Tuesday.
The minister said Malaysia was not yet able to discuss the sea border issue with Indonesia since it had to settle a similar problem with Singapore first. However, Marty stated, the Indonesian government would always defend the country`s sovereignty at any cost.
"Our job is to secure national sovereignty. There can be no compromise in this regard," he added.
Natalegawa said Indonesian representatives at meetings with the Malaysian side on border affairs had often raised the question of Malaysian intrusions into Indonesian waters.
"We always state our objections and concern to the Malaysian authorities. We have also urged them not to repeat the same mistakes in the future," said the minister.
In the meantime, Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Minister Fadel Muhammad said the government would soon make clear the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia following the arrest of Indonesian patrol officers by Malaysian police on Friday.
"Following the incident we will arrange and make clear the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia," the minister said.
Fadel said that so far the borderlines between Indonesia and Malaysia were not yet clear, particularly in their water areas. For this case, he will make intensive coordination with the office of the minister for political, legal and security affairs and the ministry of transportation to discuss the border problem with Malaysia.
Three Indonesian patrol officers, Asriadi (40), Erwan (37) and Seivo Grevo Wewengkang (26), were arrested when they intercepted a Malaysian fishing vessel which were allegedly poaching in the Indonesian waters of Riau Islands province.
Indonesia on Tuesday morning repatriated the seven Malaysian fishermen who were arrested by Indonesian patrol officers last Friday. "The seven fishermen have been repatriated this morning," Netty Herawati, mediator of the Indonesian Consulate General for Malaysia, said.
The seven fishermen were repatriated using the Samudera Tiga ship, which left Batam at 8.30 a.m Indonesian Standard Time for Situlang Laut port of Johor Bahru. They were accompanied by Malaysian embassy staffers and Dewan Priyo Kusumo, a staffer of the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru.
In the meantime, Malaysia has also released three Indonesian sea patrol officers who were arrested by Malaysian police. Netty said the three Indonesian officers were now returned to the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru.
"The three are now in the office of the Indonesia Consulate General," she said.
The three marine officers, in fact, were already at the Indonesian consulate general in Johor Baru, Malaysia, Tuesday morning, to join an Independence Day flag hoisting ceremony.
"So, our diplomatic efforts during the whole day yesterday have born fruit," Minister Marty Natalegawa said meanwhile.***1*** (T.A014/H-NG/B003/P003)
Source: http://www.antaranews.com
